I have two stories of being followed.

One occurred when I was in college, 17 years old. The college day had finished and I was headed to big band practice. I was with my friend whose house was part-way on my route so we started the journey together. We got on the bus and all was okay until we both noticed an older guy (about mid 40’s, already on the bus when we got on) staring straight into my eyes and smiling creepily at me. That was unsettling. We communicated this through our phones to each other.

Then our stop came and we got off the bus. He followed. The stop was a university so it’s wasn’t implausible for it to be His stop. It’s what happened next that really worried me. This was the point where me and my friend went different ways. We got different buses from the same bus stop. He was still waiting at our bus stop staring at me, making me uncomfortable. My friend’s bus came first. She got on and I crossed the road. He followed. I walked and doubled back to the bus stop. He didn’t follow – that I could see. I was on the phone to my friend since the moment we split because I was feeling really uncomfortable with the situation. My bus arrived and I got on. The bottom was full but the majority of the seats upstairs were free so I went to the free seats at the back. It looked all clear and a few stops later I was feeling better.

Then He came to the top level and went straight to the back and sat right next to me. The majority of the seats were free and he didn’t even look at the empty seats. He made a beeline for me. As He sat I ran down the stairs (still on the phone to my friend) and told the bus driver I think I’d been followed. He started down the stairs too. My stop was also coming up. It was a remote area, just housing and the primary school which I had my big band practice in which furthered my worry. The driver stopped the bus at the stop and closed the doors after I got off. The driver watched to make sure I got into the gated primary school (my destination). The man following me wasn’t allowed off the bus.

I ran to the gated primary school and then to the entrance in tears to my friend on the phone. I got to my band practice and told my band leaders of the follower with a full description. All I can say is thank you to that bus driver and fellow passengers who stopped him following me inside the primary school. I’m also thankful I wasn’t headed home as he doesn’t know where I live. I got a ride home from my dad that evening. I never saw the follower again after that but it was an experience which really shook me up. Especially as a girl of 17 alone in a city. This happened in Manchester, England.

The second following incident happened when I was in University, 20 years old. I work the night shift at McDonald’s and finished my shift at 4 a.m. The streets are empty at this time and the only thing I usually have to worry about are foxes…at least they run away when you approach. I was walking home as I’d just missed the bus and had forgot my purse (I haven’t since). I was halfway down the high street when a guy asked if I had a light. I politely said I didn’t and kept on walking. He carried on walking next to me. It was an uncomfortable situation. He started talking and kept insinuating he wanted a kiss…also hinting he wanted more.

As I approached the halfway point to my way home I got my phone out and was prepared to call my university campus security to come and meet me as I approached campus and escort me home (there is an app on my phone which the university has which makes this possible). Luckily he figured out he wasn’t going to get anything from me and started walking the opposite way. To make sure he didn’t follow me home I walked around and doubled back to my route. He didn’t follow but it was still unsettling and scary. Especially as he was big enough that if he wanted to, he could have taken what he wanted and I wouldn’t have had much chance of fighting him off. This happened in Canterbury, England.

– RP

Location: Manchester and Canterbury, England

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

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See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

It was April 22, 2017, and I was walking by myself to meet up with my cousin. I happened to be on the phone with my best friend. Street harassment isn’t foreign to me, it had happened plenty of times, but this time it was weird. I was still walking and this guy blew me a kiss from across the street. When that happened, I just kept it moving but then it got weirder. As I was walking, he pulled his car to the side I was walking on and then he stopped his car and kept saying, “Give me your number and I will drop you off to your destination” and “You have a nice body.”

It was scary and nerve-racking.

– Anonymous

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

I was jogging with my friend on a less busy road as it was holiday season. A man passing by touched me at inappropriate places. I was very angry and was swearing but couldn’t move to stop him. Now I wish I could have been more alert and perhaps tried to stop him or something. I feel angry over the fact that I didn’t do enough to get him punished.

– Anonymous

Location: Botswana

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

I have retyped my answer multiple times because I don’t quite know how to write it or if I should even submit this but, I need to share my story.

I was just catcalled which is certainly nothing foreign to me, although this time it was different. The harasser followed me and was objectifying me as I walked in circles, trying to not identify where my house was. He followed me into my alley, where he repeatedly asked for my number and complimented me how I had a “fine ass”.

I’ve been replaying the new incident from approximately 30 minutes ago in my head and I just can’t utter any words to my friends or family because I am too distraught. And you may be thinking, “What’s the big deal?”or “I know it’s wrong but I feel as though she’s overreacting.”

Trust me, I ignorantly thought that, too. But you never truly know what it feels like until you’re in that moment, and as hard as you may try, I don’t think that you can ever prepare yourself for it. Because in that moment, there are so many emotions of embarrassment, anger, shame and the biggest one being fear. When a tall, strong man approaches you, you feel defenseless and don’t know the appropriate response. I’ve been watching videos and reading articles on street harassment and I have never grotesquely related to a topic more than this one today. Yes, grotesquely.

It is disgusting how a man feels as though its his right to objectify me and it’s his write to express his opinion on how he owns my body. He was commenting, “Why are you so mean? I’m just being nice!” Just being nice.

Tell me, is it nice to be in such fear of your life that your body freezes up. Tell me, is what you did so nice that I felt the need to share my story. Tell me, is it so nice to cause me so much misery, which I know very well you intended to do.Well congratulations, you’ve won. I’m now too scared to wear what I want to wear and go where I want to go all for fear of my life.

Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?

I think that this situation was almost unavoidable as there was no one around. I know that he knew what he was doing was wrong. I know that if he saw no issue with his commentary, he would have harassed me on the bus instead of waiting. I know this was not his first attack, and I know I won’t be his last.

– M.S.

Location: Chicago, IL. He was on my bus and I noticed him staring at me but I didn’t do anything because to be honest, that happens often. He got off at the same stop and started to follow me. I didn’t turn around because I didn’t want to engage but as I was in the alley and nearing my house he said hello, and that’s where the harassment began.

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.